Concealable furnishings



3 24, 1930. w c, FAlN GONCEALABLE FURNISHINGS I Filed March 12, 1924 sShets-Sheet 1 H Brazier ax al-w.

June 24, 1930.. w. c FAIN 1,768,464

CONCEALABLE FURNI SHINGS Filed March 12,1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jun 24,1930'.

w. c; FAlN CONCEA'LABLE FURNISHINGS Filed March 12, 1924 a Sheets-Sheet'5 Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER C. FAIN, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

CONCEALABLE FURNISHINGS Application filed March 12, 1924. Serial No.698,792.

This invention relates to improvements in concealable house furnishingsand more particularly to a dining set for installation in apartmentswhere the space is restricted, the primary object of the invention beingto provide a dining set which may be readily installed in an offset in awall of an apartment room and which, when not in use. may be foldedand'concealcd from view and, on the other hand, when required for use,may be readily and conveniently set up.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide a dining setcomprising a table and benches all contained within a single housing andnormally concealed from view, the arrangement being a compact one so asto occupy a minimum space and yet being such as to permit of readyarrangement for use. 7

Another object of the invention is to rovide, in conceala-ble furnishingof this character, a maximum table area and maximum seating capacity asregards the benches, and to so arrange the component parts of thestructure that when not in use they will occupy a space of considerablyless width than the space occupied by the component parts when thestructure is in use.

It has been proposed heretofore to construct concealable' furnishings ofthis class embodying a cabinet having hinged doors, and table or otherunits foldably mounted within the cabinet so that when the doors areopened the units may be lowered to assum a position for use, but in suchstructures one doors serve solely the purpose of doors. In other words,they serve merely as means for concealing from view the interior of thecabinet and the parts which are housed therein, when such parts are notin use. Therefore, it is another object of the presentinvention toutilize the doors of a structure of this class as a means for supportingthe bench units so that the units may be lowered to position foruseafter the doors have been swung open and will at such time assumepositions at opposite sides of the table unit, the doors constitutingthe sole support for the bench units when the bench un ts are folded upand are not .in use. By

this arrangement the invention, therefore, contemplates housing thetable and bench units within a cabinet or compartment of a widthsubstantially not greater than the width of the table unit. Likewise, byreason of this arrangement, the invention contemplates the employment ofnarrower doors than could otherwise be used thereby effecting a furthereconomy in space and likewise in the cost of the doors.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for sup ortingthe outer ends of the bench units when the units are set up for use,which means may be conveniently folded with respect to the seats of thebench unitsand occupy minimum space. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of back foreach bench unit and a novel means for holding the back in set upposition when the unit is arranged for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for relieving thedoors of the structure from strains to which their hinges wouldotherwise be subjected during the time construct the compartment thatfood may be served from the adjoining kitchen onto the table ,unit ofthe furnishing without the necessity of passingback and forth betweenthe two rooms, or, in other words, back and forth between the kitchenand the room in which the structure of the present invention is located.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a concealable furnishingembodying the present invention, the doors of the structure being swungopen and the table and bench units being set up for use;

Figure 2 is a vertical front to rear sec tional view through thestructure, the table and'bench units being set up for use 3 Figure 3 isar similar view illustrating the structure completely folded and thedoors thereof closed;

Figure -i is a horizontal sectional view through the structure takensubstantially on the line of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicatedby the arrows;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line55 of Figure 2, in detail;

Figure '3 is a similar view in detail taken substantially on the line(5-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a detail vertical sectional view through a portion of thetable unit and illustrating the means provided for assisting in theelevation of this unit to its folded position.

As heretofore stated, the structure enibodyiug the invention is housedwithin a compartim-nt or cabinet which in turn is set or built into thewall of the room in which the furnishing is to be employed, the wallbeing indicated by the humeral l, and, as a matter of convenience, beingshown of solid construction, although, of course, it will be built up inany of the numerous ways well known. The wall is provided with a recesswhich is indicated by the numeral 2- and which is of suflicient height,width and depth to accommodate the cabinet or compartment of thefurnishing which cabinet or compartment is indicated in general by thenumeral 3. The cabinet 3 comprises side walls 4, a back 5 which may beof veneer or any other material found suitable for the purpose andrelatively thin, and a top 6, and the cabinet is of substantiallyrectangular form and is fitted snugly into the recess 2 in, the wall 1,cleats 7 being secured to the rear wall 5 of the cabinet to space thesaid wall a short distance in advance of the back wall of the recess,which wall of the recess is indicated by the numeral 8. Except for thedoors which are to conceal the table and bench units when the units arenot in use, the cabinet is open at its front, and a facing 9 isconstructed about the open front of the cabinet and the open front ofthe recess 2 in the wall 1 so as to impart the required finishedappearance. The doors of the cabinet are indicated by the numeral 10 andthe said doors are hinged, as at 11, to the opposite sides of the openfront of the cabinet and are adapted to be swung to the open positionshown in Figures 1 and 1 of the drawings or to the closed position shownin Figure At this point it is pertinent to note that when the doors 10are swung to open position as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, theywill rest at theirnormally outer sides against the side members of thefacing 9 and will therefore occupy a position precisely paral lel to theface of the wall 1 at opposite sides of the recess 2 in the said wall,the leaves of the hinges 11 being of such width and thcfacing 9 being ofsuch thickness as to insure of such positioning of the doors.

As heretofore point-ed out, the invention contemplates the provision ofa table unit which is indicated in general by the numeral 12, and benchunits which are indicated in general by the numeral 12, the table unit12 being connected with the rear wall or back 5 of the cabinet, and thebench units being connected with the doors 10, each in a manner whichwill now be explained. The table unit 12 comprises a top 13 which may beof any desired dimensions and this top is hingedly connected, as at 14,to a cleat 15 secured to the inner face of the wall of the cabinet.Moulding strips 16 are so cured to the under sideof the table top 13along the longitudinal edges thereof and across the outer end edge andadd to the ornamental appearance of the structure and likewise serve apurpose to be presently explained. At this point it will be understoodthat the table top 13 may be swung downwardly to assume the positionshown in Figure 2 of the drawings, when the table is to be used, atwhich time the inner end edge of the said top will abut against the faceof the eleat 15, and by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings it will beobserved that the cabinet isv of a width just sufficient to accommodatethe table unit 12 so that the said table unit may be swung upwardlyabout its hinges to assume a position resting at its upper portionagainst the face of the rear wall 5 of the cabinet as shown in Figure 3,the said table unit being in this manner more or less snugly receivedwithin the cabinet and an economy in space being effected.

In order that the outer end of the table top 13 may be firmly supportedwhen the table unit is lowered to position for use, a supporting leg 17is hingedly connected at its upper end, as at 18, to the under side ofthe said table to 13 at the said end thereof. Brace mem ers 19 arepivotally connected at their upper ends, as at 20, to the inner sides ofthe side moulding pieces 16 and have their lower edges notched, as at21, near their outer ends so as to engage with studs 22 upon the legmember 17 when the leg member is swung down to supported position asshown in Figure 2, the braces 19 being in this manner locked in bracingposition and serving to prevent inward and upward swinging movement ofthe said leg member 17. By reference to Figure 3 of the drawings it willbe observed that the leg 17 of the table unit may be folded to posit-ionlying flat against the under side of the table top 13 and that in thisposition ward swinging movement to folded position effected without anyconsiderable exertion,

means are provided which will now be described.

cabinet 3 and curving upwardly and forwardly within the said cabinet. Anarcuate arm having the same degree of curvature as the barrel 23, issecured at one end, as at 26, to the under side of the top 13 of thetable unit 12 near the hinges 14;, and the said arm works slidably inthe bore of the barrel 23 as shown in the said Figure 7,

- the barrel and arm being concentric with the hinges 14. A compressionspring 27 is arranged within the barrel 23 and bears at one end againstthe attaching plate 24 and is engaged at its other end by the extremity.

for use without any sudden jar, and, on the other hand, when it is to bestored away, it may be swung upwardly about its hinges with littleexertion due to the counter-balancing effect of the spring 27.

' Each of the bench units 12 comprises a seat 28, a back 29, and an end30. The seat 28 is connected at its inner end by hinges 31, to thenormally inner face of the respective doorlO at such elevation that whenthe.

bench unit is set up for use, the seat 28 will occupy a plane suitablyspaced below the plane of the top 13 of the table unit. The back 29 ofeach bench unit may be of any suitable design and is hingedly connectedat its lower edge, as at 33, to the upper side of the seat 28 along theouter longitudinal edge thereof, the back being designed to be swungdownwardly to lie flat against the normally upper side of the seat 28,when the structure is not in use, and being designed, on the other hand,to be swung upwardly to a vertical position perpendicular to the seat 28when the structure Is in use.

tive door 10, its other wing, indicated by the i numeral 36, beingsomewhat narrower than the attached wing referred to and constituting astop or abutment against which the end of the back 29 next adjacent thedoor .1 and 2 of the drawings.

may engage when the back is swung to upright position. A slidable boltof the well known type illustrated in Figure 6, is

mounted upon the inner face of the back 29 and may be shifted to projectits workattached wing of the angle iron 34. In this manner the back 29at its said end is secured both against'forward and rearwarddisplacement.

The end member 30 of the bench unit may be of any desired marginalcontour or outline and is shown most clearly in Figures The said endmember 30 may be of integral structure or built up of a number ofassembled parts,

but in any event it is to be considered as an integral unit and it is toconstitute not only a supporting means or leg for the outer end of therespective seat 28 but also is to constitute an arm rest as will beapparent by reference to Figure 1. The said member 30 is connected forfolding movement with the outer end of the seat 28 by hinges 39 theleaves of which are secured to the inner side of the said member at apoint suitably spaced from its upper and lower ends, and to the underside of the said seat 28 at the said outer end, thereof. It will now beevident and particularly by reference to Figure 2 and a comparison ofthis figure with Figure 3, that the end member 30 is hinged in suchamanner that it may be swung about its hinges to assume a position withits lower or leg portion, which is indicated by the numeral 40, restingflat against the under side of the respective seat 28, and with its armrest portion or upper portion, indicated by the numeral 41, projecting ashort distance beyond the said outer end of the said seat. Braces 4-2corresponding in function and construction to the braces 19 heretoforedescribed, may be employed at theouter ends of the bench units torelatively brace the end member 30 and the seat 28 and prevent inwardswinging movement of the lower portion of the said member' 30. Likewisecounter-balancing means indicated in general by the numeral 43 andcorresponding in every respect to the means shown. in Figure 7 andpreviously described, may be employed for the purpose ofassisting inelevating the bench units to their folded position which is clearlyillustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the back 29 of-each unit beingfolded in to lie against the upper side of the seat 28, and the member30 being folded in so that its lower or le portion 40 will rest againstthe under side of the said seat.

In order that the back29 and the end member 30 may be relatively bracedagainst displacement when the structure is set up for use, a latch 44 ispivotally mounted, as

mg end into an opening 38 formed in the at 45, upon the inner side ofthe back 29 and has a shouldered end a; which is engageable through anopening l'T provided in a keeper plate 48 secured upon the inner side ofthe said end member 30. The opposite end of the latch 44 is turnedoutwardly to provide a finger piece 49 against which pressure may beexerted, against the tension of a leaf spring 50 arranged in back ofsaid finger piece, to disengage the shouldered end of the latch from thewall of the opening 47 and thus permit of relative displacement of themembers 29 and 30.

In order that the hinges of the doors 10 may be relieved to aconsiderable extent, of the weight which would otherwise be imposed uponthem during the time the benchunits are occupied, supporting legs 51 arehingedly connected at their upper ends, as at 52, to the under side ofthe respective seats 28 and may beswung downwardly to the position shownin Figure 2 of the drawings so as to rest at their lower ends upon thefloor of the room, in which position their upper ends will abut squarelyagainst the under side of the respective unit. Then the bench. units arefolded up, the supporting legs 51 may be swung upwardly about theirhinges 15 so as to rest against the under sides of the respective seats28.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be evident thatthe table and bench units may be swung dowi'iwardly so as to assume thepositions shown in Figures l, 2 and 4: of the drawings, in whichthebench units occupy positions at opposite sides of the table unit. Onthe other hand,

when the structure is not to be used, the several units may be folded upin the manner heretofore outlined, and the table unit swung upwardly toposition restin against the back'wall 5 of the cabinet, tie bench unitsbeing swung up to lie. against the inner sides of the respective doors10, whereupon the doors may be closed so as to completely conceal thefolded units.

Means has hcrcinbefore been described for relieving the hinges of thedoors 10 of the weight which would otherwise be imposed upon them if itwere not for the legs 51. As a means for-further serving this end and atthe same time providing against any swinging movement of the doors whilethc bench units are. occupied, door stops 53 are mounted upon thenormally inner face of the doors 10 at their free edges and the rubberfoot pieces 54 of the said stops are designed to firmly engage the floorsurface when the plungers of the stops are pressed downwardly in theusual manner.

It will be evident that when the table and bench units are folded andthe doors are closed, the structure will have a maximum width notappreciably greater than the 'membcr width of the table top 13 andconsequently the furnishing will occupy but a small area of the wallsurface of the room.

If desired, as a matter of convenience,

to obviate the necessity of passing back and an opening of oblongrectangular form is cut in the rear wall 5 of the cabinet and extends"transversely across the said wall, immediately above the plane of thetable top 13, and a similar opening 56 is cut in the wall 1 opposite theopening55, cleats 57' and 58 being arranged between the said wall 1 andthe wall 5 and respectively above and below the openings and Theopposing edges of the cleats are grooved, as indicated by the numeral59, and a door 60 is mounted within the opening of the window and hasbeads (31 extending along its upper and lower edges and slidably fittingin the grooves in the cleats 57 and 58, respectively. The door 60 isprovided with knobs (52 whereby it may be conveniently slid to and fromits open and closed position, and the said door is of a widthsubstantially equal to one-half the length of either opening 55 or 56. Aframe of moulding, indicated by the numeral 63, is arranged about theopening and upon the face of the wall 5, and when the door (it) isclosed, it will occupy substantially onehalf of the frame, the otherhalf of the frame being occupied by a permanent panel (34 and the saidpanel and door being similarly finished so that there will be as littleresemblance as possible to a sliding door structure. A shelf ispreferably mounted upon the wall 1 at that face in which the opening 56formed and extends across the lower side of the said opening and servesas a support for dishes containing food which may be placed thereonprior to being passed through the opening provided when the door (30 isslid to open position.

(leats l3 and 28 are secured respectively to the back wall of thecabinet and to the inner faces of the doors 10 below the hinges 1 t forthe table top 13 and the hinges 32 for the seats 28, and serve asadditional supports for the hinged ends of these parts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In concealable furnishings, a cabinet having'a rear wall and an openfront, doors for closing the front of the same, a seat unit pivoted atits end to one of said doors and foldablc within said cabinet, :1supportii'ig for the outer cnd of said seat hingedly connected therewithintermediate the length of said supporting member and foldable partiallyto underlie said scat, said supporting member when in open position.

pro ecting as to its upper portion above said seat to constitute an armrest, a supporting leg pivoted to the underside of said seat, near itsend adjacent said cabinet for supporting the same independent of saidcabinet,

and a back for said seat foldably connected therewith and adapted whenfolded to lie against the upper side thereof.

2. In concealable furnishings, a, cabinet havin a rear wall and an openfront, a door hinge to one side of the front of the cabinet, and a benchunit associated, with the said door, said bench unit comprising a seatfoldably connected with said door, a back foldably connected withsaidvse'at, an end supporting member foldably connected with said seatat the outer end thereof and having an arm rest portion adaptedto extendabove the plane of the seat when the bench unit is setup for use, andcoacting means upon the said arm rest portion of the supporting memberand upon the said back for relatively bracin the parts.

3. In conceala le furnishings, a cabinet having a rear wall and-an openfront, hinged doors for closing-said front of the cabinet, a table unitof substantially the width of 'said cabinet and foldably connected withsaid rear wall, bench units foldably connected endwise with the innerfaces of said doors and adapted, when said doors are open parallel withthe face of the cabinet, to be projected to each side of the laterallimits of said cabinet and parallel with said table, supporting membersat the outer ends of said bench units hingedly connected therewith andfoldable to lie against the underside thereof, and backs for said benchunits foldably connected therewith and adapted when foldedto lie againstthe upper sides thereof.

4'. In concealable furnishings, a cabinet having a rear wall and an openfront, a table unit foldably connected with said rear Wall, bench units,means pivotally connecting said bench units endwise to said cabinet toswing about horizontal axes, said bench units being adapted to be foldedin said cabinet or to be projected from said cabinet parallel to thetable, supportin members at the outer ends of said bench units hingedlyconnected therewith and foldable to lie against the under side thereof,said snpportin memhers extending above the plane of t e seats when thebench members are setout for use, for said bench units foldabl connected"therewith and adapted when folded ta lie gainst the upper sidesthereof, and means upon the upwardly extendions of the supportingmembers-and Y 3 for supporting the backs 'iy signatnre,

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